Claims
- 1. Apparatus for packaging loose fill packing material in bags for use as protective cushions in shipping cartons, comprising:
- a dispenser having an outlet through which loose fill packing material is discharged;
- a supply of flexible plastic tubing disposed coaxially of the outlet such that successive sections of the tubing can be drawn from the supply into communication with the outlet for receiving the loose fill material discharged through the outlet;
- means for gathering a portion of the tubing together between the successive sections and guiding the gathered portion along a predetermined path in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the axis of the tubing;
- first and second rolls of sealing tape positioned beside the path;
- a pair of tape applicators positioned side-by-side and connected together for rotation in concert about an axis which is generally perpendicular to the path for simultaneously applying a band of tape from each of the two rolls to the gathered portion of the tubing as the tubing travels along the path; and
- a knife disposed in the path of the tubing after the applicators for cutting the tubing between the bands of tape to separate the sections.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tape applicators comprise star wheels having radially extending teeth which are engaged by the tubing travelling along the path to turn the wheels.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 including arcuately curved leaf springs disposed peripherally of the star wheels for retaining the tubing between the teeth as the tubing travels past the wheels.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a pair of cutters positioned between the applicators and the knife and connected together for movement in concert about an axis for cutting the tape after the bands are applied.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cutters include arms which are engaged by the tubing to pivot the cutters about the pivot axis and into engagement with the tape.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the rolls of tape is rotatively mounted on a hub which includes a plunger biased in a radial direction into engagement with the roll for yieldably resisting rotation of the roll on the hub.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the rolls of tape is rotatively mounted on a hub having a keeper plate removably mounted in a slot toward one end of the hub for retaining the roll on the hub.
- 8. Apparatus for use in bagging loose fill packing material in the manufacture of protective cushions for use in shipping cartons, comprising:
- a pair of side plates;
- aligned slots in the side plates for guiding a closed down portion of a length flexible plastic tubing along a predetermined path with the axis of the tubing generally perpendicular to the path;
- first and second rolls of tape rotatively mounted between the plates;
- a pair of star wheels mounted side-by-side between the plates and connected together for rotation about an axis which is generally parallel to the axis of the tubing for simultaneously applying a band of tape from each of the two rolls to the closed down portion of the tubing as the tubing travels along the path;
- a pair of cutters mounted side-by-side between the plates and connected together for movement in concert about an axis for cutting the tape after the bands are applied; and
- a knife mounted between the plates and in the path of the tubing for cutting the tubing between the bands as the tubing travels along the path beyond the cutters.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the star wheels have radially extending teeth which are engaged by the tubing travelling along the path to turn the wheels.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9 including arcuately curved leaf springs disposed peripherally of the star wheels for retaining the tubing between the teeth as the tubing travels past the wheels.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the cutters include arms which are engaged by the tubing to pivot the cutters about the pivot axis and into engagement with the tape.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of the rolls of tape is rotatively mounted on a hub which includes a plunger biased in a radial direction into engagement with the roll for yieldably resisting rotation of the roll on the hub.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of the rolls of tape is rotatively mounted on a hub having a keeper plate removably mounted in a slot toward one end of the hub for retaining the roll on the hub.
- 14. Apparatus for sealing and separating bags formed from a length of flexible plastic tubing, comprising:
- means for guiding a portion of the tubing which has been gathered together along a predetermined path in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the axis of the tubing;
- a pair of tape applicators positioned side-by-side and connected together for rotation in concert about an axis which is generally perpendicular to the path for simultaneously applying bands of tape to the gathered together portion of the tubing as the tubing travels along the path; and
- a knife disposed in the path of the tubing after the applicators for cutting the tubing apart between the bands of tape.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14 further including a pair of cutters positioned between the applicators and the knife for cutting the tape after the bands are applied.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/766,156, filed Dec. 12, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/673,296, filed Jun. 28, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0456144A1 |
Nov 1991 |
EPX |
1196228 |
May 1961 |
FRX |
93147317 U |
Feb 1994 |
DEX |
1564397 |
Apr 1980 |
GBX |
WO9406687 |
Mar 1994 |
WOX |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
766156 |
Dec 1996 |
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Parent |
673296 |
Jun 1996 |
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